


There Are Stars In Your Eyes

by ChocolateFrogs98



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Can't believe there's not a tag for that, Cassiopeia Black is a baddass alright?, F/F, F/M, Other, Regulus has issues, Siblings, Sirius Black & Regulus Black - Freeform, The Black Family is Special, like almost everybody in this whole series alright, one day, or she will be, shut up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-12-18 10:29:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18248006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocolateFrogs98/pseuds/ChocolateFrogs98
Summary: Walburga Black hadn’t expected yet another pregnancy so late in life. Sirius and Regulus loved their sister to death anyway.





	1. Newcomer

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a story that has been running though my head and collecting dust in an empty folder for a long while. Finally I went: what the heck? And I’ve decided to post it.
> 
> I like Sirius a lot and I like Regulus, too. And Tonks and Andromeda and just the whole Black family, actually. And I love writing OC’s because I think they bring a new perspective to the story. And I’m more comfortable writing them than canon characters because I always feel I’m writing them wrong.
> 
> (Funnily enough, this whole first chapter is mostly in the POV of canon characters).
> 
> So… it natural that I ended up writing a Black!OC someday sooner or later.
> 
> Enjoy it!

It is a known fact that wizards live a lot longer than ordinary _muggles_. They age slower than them and it can be over eighty years before one starts looking really old.

But still, a pregnancy at almost forty-seven was a bit too much for Walburga Black.

Sure, it was a bit of a boost for her ego. She was still fertile, still young in the eyes of society.

And, since the rumours had spread all through the higher circles of the pureblood society before she even stepped one foot out of San Mungo’s with the news, she couldn’t get rid of the baby. It would cause a lot of talk. More than it was already happening.

So the baby was happening.

Walburga wasn’t the first woman to have a baby at such an “advanced” age (she had glared at the healer when he had dared to utter that dreadful word). Even there had been some cases with _muggle_ women. And being a witch there should be a lot less risk during her pregnancy than the ones of those women.

But that didn’t mean she was _happy_ about it. She had already had more than enough with her two other pregnancies (when she was on her thirties) to enjoy a repeat.

They told the boys once Sirius Orion, her eldest, got back from Hogwarts. Orion had calmly sprouted the news at dinner and Sirius Orion had almost chocked on his potato.

He had been understandingly repulsed by the thought. After all, at eleven, he already knew where babies came from and was very repulsed to learn that his parents were still _doing it_.

Regulus Arcturus had been happy for the first few seconds until confusion kicked in. He had turned ten only some weeks ago and had yet to be corrupted by the educative talks around the halls of Hogwarts.

(His brother was quick to explain him the concept that night in his room. Orion had been very amused at his youngest son’s expression of utter disgust at breakfast next morning).

 

Orion envied his sons, as they spent the worst months of their mother’s pregnancy hiding away in the big castle in the hills of Scotland.

Meanwhile he was suffering the pregnancy as if he was the one with the baby inside.

He was sure Walburga hadn’t been so unbearable on her earliest pregnancies. If he had known this would happen he would have stayed far away from her in bed.

On a late January night at last his new offspring was born. Walburga had refused to go to the hospital like ‘all those common women’ and so she had an army of midwives fluttering around in her room the moment the first contraction hit.

One of the youngest midwives, barely out of the program herself, carried the baby to her father’s arms.

“We almost lost them both,” she said. “But I managed to convince the others to use a _muggle_ method that saved them,” her expression was sheepish. “I know how your wife is about these things but could you maybe keep it to yourself? I’m just telling you because I know Healer Burke will want to tell you later and I don’t want you to freak out.”

And then she deposited the baby (“it’s a girl, sir”) in his arms and Orion couldn’t be mad at her. The sigh of his daughter cute button nose melted his heart.

“Don’t worry,” he looked up at the young woman. “I won’t breathe a word.”

The girl grinned with relief. “Great! Now I have to help stitch up your wife before she wakes up!”

His eyebrows rose at the word ‘stitch’ and the woman merely shrugged with a soft blush on her cheeks. “It looks like I owe you a debt for saving both my wife’s and my daughter’s life,” he said. “What’s your name?”

“Oh! I’m Dahlia Blishwick,” her eyes were wide. “But you don’t owe me anything. I was just doing my job, sir.”

Orion nodded once but he mentally took note of the name: Dahlia Blishwick. He would remember that.

 

“It’s almost weird for you to get a letter from your family that is not a howler,” noted James Potter eyeing the piece of paper with curiosity.

“What does it say?” wondered Peter Pettigrew.

Remus Lupin shushed them both. “Maybe if you let him read it he’ll tell us.”

The letter wasn’t that long, only a few sentences, and Sirius was quick to read them. Slowly his lips curled into a small smile that had his friends looking worried.

“He must have gone crazy,” Peter muttered. After all they all knew Sirius’ relationships with his family were strained at best and didn’t understand how a letter would make him smile.

“Maybe his mother is dead?” James suggested gaining an elbow to the ribs courtesy of Remus.

After a few more seconds of silence, James prompted the other boy with a kick to the shin. Sirius glared at him.

“So?” Peter asked. “What does it say?”

Sirius grinned again. “I have a little sister,” he said. “Which is great because now I have won a bet with Reg,” at Remus deadpan expression he quickly added: “And I’m happy to have a sister, you know? Because sisters are nice and stuff.”

Remus sniggered. “«Because sisters and nice and stuff»” he repeated. “I am so going to write that on your grave.”

“Now you’re already killing me off?”

James grinned. “Well… there are some days…”

Sirius threw a spoonful of cereal soggy with milk at James’ glasses.

 

The first time Regulus saw his little sister she wasn’t so little anymore. At five months old she was a pudgy… thing with huge grey-blue eyes, a tuft of black hair and the happiest smile always on her face.

Little Cassiopeia, although Sirius had taken to calling her Cassia, was the happiest baby Regulus had ever seen. She was always laughing at the silly faces he made (a pretty contagious laugh) or, otherwise, smiling. She hardly cried, though Kreacher was there if it happened, and loved to be picked up.

As it seemed she was the un-Black-iest baby he had ever seen.

Maybe it was just because she was a baby, but from his mother’s frown he knew neither he nor Sirius had been such happy toddlers.

But Regulus loved little Cassia more than he loved anything in life. He loved how she gurgled at him with her arms wide open asking for him to pick her up. And how she smiled at the sight of him and laughed when he tickled her belly.

Regulus often wondered how something so small could change one’s life that much.

When Sirius got into Gryffindor he knew a huge rift in the family had been made. And his suspicions were confirmed when he came home with thousands of tales of _James_ and _Remus_ and _Peter_. He could see Sirius drifting away from him and it only deepened when he got sorted into Slytherin.

_How dare he look disappointed_? _He_ was the one not to stick into tradition! _Regulus_ should be the one to be disappointed.

But Sirius looked at him with disappointment and pity when he went to sit with his new house. Like he had done something wrong. As if Regulus had… deceived him.

But with Cassia… with Cassia he had a new chance. He would start over without making the same mistakes. He would love her unconditionally, no matter where she ended up.

He wouldn’t let Houses ruin that relationship, too.

Cassia cooed at him from her crib and Regulus smiled softly. “Hey, do you want to play?”

No, he wouldn’t mess it up this time.

 

Sirius was sick of his family. He was sick of the judgemental stares and his mother’s scoffs. He was sick of the pureblood propaganda and the way her mother looked down at him.

As if he was less for thinking of _muggleborns_ as equals.

As if he was _wrong_.

The only thing that kept him tethered to that horrible house was his sister. His sweet, innocent and kind little sister with wide open eyes and a heart bigger than the world.

Everything went to hell the summer after his fifth year, over dinner one evening.

“Siri, Siri,” Cassia tugged on his sleeve. “Sit with me,” she begged.

“How can I refuse?” Sirius grinned at her and tried not to feel anything at Regulus betrayed expression. Cassia was _his_ sister, too, and he loved her with all his soul.

Cassia looked up at him. “Read me a bedtime story?” she asked.

“After dinner, little star,” he conceded.

And she smiled at him, little dimples appearing on her cheeks and making his heart melt.

But then their mother had to intervene and bring the matter of blood purity to the table. She said she was worried about what Sirius might be teaching her and didn’t want him to lead her astray.

And that was when Sirius finally snapped: the previous weeks, hell, even the previous years, becoming far too much for him.

So Sirius screamed and his mother screeched back. Their father shouted at them both while Regulus tried to take Cassia to a safe place. Walburga got out her wand and started firing curses at her eldest son while exclaiming he was only «just like the rest of them».

And so Sirius stormed off the house with only his wand on his hand and a handful of coins on his back pocket. He hailed the Knight Bus and disappeared in the night to never look back.

A couple of weeks later an owl knocked on Regulus window in the middle of the night. It carried a small package for Cassia and a short note asking Regulus to give it to her.

Despite the bitterness he felt for his brother, Regulus conceded.

 

Dahlia Blishwick was twenty-six when Orion Black asked her to tutor his daughter, the one she had helped bring to the world over four years earlier.

“Mr. Talbot,” he said. “my sons tutor, died last year and Walburga says it would be best if Cassiopeia has a woman as a governess.”

“But,” Dahlia was at a loss on what to say. You do not say ‘no’ to the Lord of the Noble and Ancient House of Black. “I already have a job, sir,” she said politely. “And aren’t I too young? I think maybe you should be looking for someone older, more experienced in these things.”

But Orion Black just shook his head. “I think you can teach my daughter a lot more than those old ladies ever could. You’ve gotten far on your own, haven’t you?” he said. “I think my daughter will need that in the years to come.”

“But my job…”

Orion Black sighed. “Look, we’ll pay you the double if you want. You don’t even have to be all day with her, just some mornings or afternoons, whatever you choose. Teach her how to read, write, some maths and the way the world works as unbiasedly as possible.”

Dahlia stared at him open mouthed.

“I have a son on either side of the war,” he said with a tired smile. “I know only one of them will come out of this alive. I’d like my daughter to be able to make the best choice; not because of what her family says, but because it’s what she believes in. I want her to be able to make the right decision and stick with it,” he waved his hand in her direction. “Your family is still pure-blood, even if you’ve fallen a little since the old days, but it will be enough to content my wife. So,” he straightened in the chair of the hospital cafeteria. “What do you say?”

Dahlia had been given a choice. To help a little girl make the best of her life.

“I guess I’ll have to talk with my boss.”

And that was how she found herself as the new tutor of the youngest Black child.

 

When Cassia turned six she got lots of presents, like all her birthdays before, but only one she treasured greatly. It was a well-read copy of Miss Dahlia’s favourite book when she was a child: Her Handsome Hero.

Miss Dahlia had read most of it to her in their classes, or had made her read it. It told the tales of a brave hero named Gideon and in its pages was underlined the importance of compassion, kindness and forgiveness.

Cassia hadn’t known it at that time, but that book probably saved her life.

Miss Dahlia was a nice lady and Cassia liked her very much. Her lessons were fun and she learnt a lot. Miss Dahlia liked to tell stories about her job or books she had read. She told her about her girlfriend –a _muggle_ teacher– and made her promise to keep the secret.

Mrs. Pyrites wasn’t such a nice lady. She taught her manners, politics, dancing, how to play the piano and French. She smelled _old_ and would pinch her arm with her nails when she thought Cassia was doing something wrong.

And for Mrs. Pyrites Cassia even _breathed_ wrong.

“You don’t want the whole room to know when you’re inhaling and exhaling. Keep it to yourself. Short breaths for ladies.”

No, Cassia didn’t like Mrs. Pyrites at all.

But the book wasn’t the only gift Cassia loved. Even if her brothers were at Hogwarts they both had sent owls with their gifts (Sirius’ sneaking in the middle of the night so her parents wouldn’t notice).

Regulus had bought her almost half a year’s supply of Sugar Quills, Cassia’s favourite food in the whole wide world, that had her running the house on a sugar high almost each night for the next months.

Sirius, on the other hand, had woken her up the second the clock had struck twelve, thanks to the magic mirror he had given her once he left home. He had another one that connected the pair and they could keep in contact, for Sirius refused to be cut out from his sister’s life and leave her to perish with his family. His three friends had joined him on his rendition of _Happy Birthday_ to his sister that got the desired result: make her laugh.

Since he also knew she liked books about adventure he had also gifted her one copy of a _muggle_ book «the Evans girl» had highly recommended; _The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe_.

Cassia had loved it and she hid it under her mattress next to _Her Handsome Hero_. Although she was sure Kreacher, who was the only one allowed in her room, didn’t care much for books.

Which was a shame because Cassia knew how great books were.

 

Regulus was trying to teach his sister how to play chess when his whole world came to a halt. It was a hot July afternoon and they were on the playing room, with some cooling charms to make it bearable.

“And Father was _so_ happy I could finally block him out we went out for dinner at The Siren’s Song just the two of us,” Cassia leaned in and whispered the next part. “He even let me eat the chop _with my hands_!”

Regulus widened his eyes in mock surprise. “He _did_?”

“Yes!” the seven-year-old was unaware of her brother’s teasing. “Kreek wasn’t very happy when he saw the dress he had to clean, though,” she added looking down at the chessboard with shame.

Regulus lips twitched. “I bet he wouldn’t. Did he start muttering to himself?”

She grinned. “He did! He got quiet and all red and everything when I told him I was sorry he had to work more because of me,” her eyes twinkled. “He always does,” she pressed her lips together deep in thought. “Where is he, by the way? He usually likes to sit with us when Mother and Father aren’t home.”

And Regulus didn’t blame him. They were, after all, the only ones who treated Kreacher like a living being. It made him feel angry.

“He’s doing some things for… a friend of mine,” Regulus stated carefully.

Regulus had joined the Death Eaters two years ago, feeling bold and proud of his choice. But his determination started to fade when he realized what kind of things his new friends were into. He started to feel trapped and the shame grew each time he was sent on a mission for those… people. And he didn’t want Cassia knowing any of that.

Cassia’s face fell. “Oh… And how long will he be gone?” her eyes light up again. “I don’t want to see Mother’s face if we make a mess in the kitchen trying to make dinner,” she paused. “Do you _know_ how to cook?” she asked with curiosity.

But Regulus had stopped listening and instead looked at her with a worried frown on his face. “He probably should already have been back,” he said. “The Dark- My friend said it wouldn’t take long.”

Cassia felt a bubble of worry deep in her stomach. “Kreacher!” she called. “Kreacher come here!”

And the house elf appeared with a loud crack. He was wet and shivering. He laid curled into a ball on the floor, his hands pressed over his ears and muttering apologies and pleas to himself.

Regulus heart plummeted. “Cassia, go to your room!” he ordered.

“No!” the child fell to her knees and carefully touched Kreacher’s knee. “Kreek,” she said softly. “Kreek, you’re safe here, you can stop that.”

The elf stilled immediately and didn’t move. Cassia clearly panicked and she started shaking him. When Regulus caught her in his own arms to get her away from Kreacher she started trashing and screaming.

“Cassiopeia!” shouted Regulus. “Stop this! This isn’t helping anyone!”

“Let me go!” she screeched. “Can’t you see that he’s in pain?”

Regulus held her tighter. “Kreacher,” he said. “Please, breathe and tell us what happened.”

And the elf obeyed.

 

Kreacher was a good elf, yes he was. He obeyed the rules, didn't disrespect the Masters (except Master Sirius –oh, Mistress was so happy to see him go) and took care of the house and its inhabitants.

It was his job, what he was born to do.

But now... now Master Regulus wanted to take him back to the Horrible Cove and Kreacher was scared. He didn't like the Horrible Cove and the Dreadful Potion... Kreacher didn't want to drink it again.

Master Regulus had come to Kreacher’s cupboard in the middle of the night and ordered Kreacher to get ready to take him to that cove. Kreacher knew all Blacks liked their sleep and no one would catch them getting out of the house because the Masters were all sleeping deeply.

So Kreacher wasn't expecting little Mistress Cassiopeia to be waiting for him and Master Regulus at the bottom of the stairs.

"Cassia!" Master Regulus exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Mistress Cassiopeia puffed her cheeks. "I'm coming with you," she stated.

Both Masters started to argue while Kreacher stared silently. In the end they glared at each other for a few moments until Mistress Cassiopeia, at last, relented.

"But you have to take this," she said giving them one of Mistress Walburga biggest handbags.

Master Regulus peered inside the bag and his lips twitched with amusement. "We aren't going camping, you know?" He reached inside the bag. "And what is this?" On his hand was a glass bottle of dark brown liquid.

Mistress Cassiopeia flushed. "It's a _muggle_ drink," she said. "Miss Dahlia gets it for me. Sometimes... I just thought maybe you wouldn't feel like water so I grabbed both," and she seemed very proud by her occurrence.                       

Mister Regulus decided to humour his little sister and put the muggle drink back in the bag. "But you're staying here," he said. "Go back to sleep," he suggested.

Mistress Cassiopeia stared at him like he was a madman and Master Regulus snorted.

"Alright," he crouched and kissed her forehead. "I'll see you later. Come on, Kreacher. Take me to the cave!"

And Kreacher did.

Kreacher was shivering and trembling the whole time Master Regulus passed through the protections. Kreacher clutched at the sides of the boat so hard his knuckles turned grey and when he saw the pillar where he knew the Dreadful Potion was he almost passed out.

Kreacher was readying himself for another dose of the Dreadful Potion when Master Regulus spoke.

"Kreacher, I want you to make me drink the potion. Make me drink it no matter what I tell you and then... then grab the Hor-the locket and put this one instead," he deposited a nearly identical locket in the elf's fragile hands. "Then fill it again with the same potion and go back home and destroy the locket. Alright?"

Kreacher didn't want to do that. "Master Regulus..."

"I said ‘alright?’! I'm ordering you, Kreacher!"

Kreacher would have never said he'd ever hate being such a good elf.


	2. Regulus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Walburga Black hadn't expected yet another pregnancy so late in life. Sirius and Regulus loved their sister to death anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or ‘in which Voldemort is not aware of the power of Coca-Cola.’
> 
> Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters aren’t mine. The only thing that belongs to me is Cassia.

Cassia usually was a patient child. Usually.

She wasn't so patient when the people she loved were in danger.

Her mother caught her dozing off against the wall of the stars in the early morning and her screeching woke her up for the rest of the day. Mother sent her to her father on his study and Father gave her some biscuits and a glass of warm milk.

But Cassia refused to talk. And when she felt her father trying to enter her mind like he did during their Occlumany lessons, she tensed up and started thinking of the newest Celestina Warbeck song.

Her father made a face and backed off. He hated Celestina Warbeck’s music with passion. He was curious but couldn’t help but feel very proud at his daughter accomplishment.

“I see you don’t want to talk about this,” he noted.

Cassia happily shook her head.

“Does it have to do with why Kreacher isn’t anywhere to be seen?”

Cassia tensed and shook her head less convincingly. Her father didn’t fall for it.

“Does it have to do with Regulus?” he asked. “He’s missing, too,” he said. “And I usually wouldn’t give it much thought, but with everything that is going on…”

Cassia raised her head and in her eyes Orion could read her worry and anguish. He sighed and rubbed his face.

“If he’s in trouble you have to tell me, Cassiopeia,” he said. “I can help him.”

Cassia just shook her head again. Her lips were pressed together tightly, as if that would help her not to spill the secret. And her father knew she was stubborn enough.

Luckily for them at that same moment Kreacher and Regulus appeared right in the middle of the study. Regulus was deathly pale and shivering, his grey eyes wide with fright.

“Regulus!” Orion jumped on his feet and rushed towards his son.

Cassia wasn’t far behind. “Reg! Reg! Kreek! What happened?”

“Son! Son, are you alright?” their father was frenetic.

“Wa-water,” gasped Regulus. “Water.”

Kreacher, who was as pale as his Master, disappeared with a crack and reappeared seconds later with five big jugs full of fresh water. Regulus threw himself at the nearest jug and started drinking sloppily.

They all waited patiently while Regulus drank four of the jars, getting almost as many water on his robes, and then looked at them breathing heavily.

“What happened?” asked Cassia with a small voice.

Regulus focused his eyes on her, drinking her in. “Kreacher took me to the cave,” he whispered. “And everything was like he said it was… I ordered him to make me drink the potion and it made me see the most terrible things,” he shivered and his eyes filled with tears. “I-I finished it and then Kreacher swapped the lockets. And then I started to feel so _thirsty_ …” his gaze unfocused and it seemed like he was unable to say anything else.

Cassia then turned to the house-elf. “Kreek?”

“Master Regulus started heading into the lake,” he said. “Like Kreacher had done all those days ago. But Kreacher knew that if Master Regulus went into the water then Master Regulus would never come back. And then Kreacher remembered Mistress Cassiopeia’s bag. The water was gone but Mistress Cassiopeia’s strange drink was still there. So Kreacher gave it to Master Regulus. And Master Regulus drank it.”

Regulus finally raised his head. “It helped me think straight,” he said. “And so I told Kreacher to apparate us here.”

Orion, who had been calmly listening to the whole explanation kneeling on the floor, stood up and walked to sit behind his desk once again.  “Cassiopeia, go to your room.”

Cassia’s eyes widened. “What? No!” the little girl crossed her arms. “I’m not going anywhere. I want to know what happened to Regulus.”

Her father’s face was stern. “Cassiopeia, you don’t need to hear this. Now go to your room. Mrs. Pyrites is going to be here soon.”

The chandelier clinked and the candles tittered for some seconds. And then Cassia clenched her teeth and stormed off the room.

Orion looked at his youngest son and gestured him to have a seat. “Now tell me,” he said. “What is this locket you’re talking about?”

 

Regulus recovered quickly and tried to make it seem like nothing had happened. But Cassia knew better. She knew her father and her brother were trying to hide something from her and even Kreacher refused to talk.

And Cassia could see the fear in Regulus eyes when he thought nobody was watching, and the dark circles under his eyes, the tremor on his hands and how he didn’t seem to eat anymore.

But they still refused to tell her anything.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

“Are you sure she can do this?” Regulus asked his father. “Won’t it be too dangerous?”

Cassia looked away from the library and turned to glare at her brother. “I’m seven years old!” she reminded him proudly. “I can do this!”

“Nobody will think we made her the Secret Keeper,” said Orion. “I doubt they will even believe it possible. And from what you’ve told me of your Dark Lord… he has the habit of underestimating people. This will work. Trust me.”

Regulus didn’t seem all that convinced. “I just don’t want them going after her and…” he shivered at the tortures his mind conjured up.

“Do you think I’ll let them get her?” Orion looked even amused. “And she’s a Black, after all. They won’t hurt her.”

Regulus nodded to himself. “Alright. Let’s do this.”

Both wizards got out their wands and Cassia walked to stand at Regulus side. Orion looked at the determination in both of his children’s faces and he felt a pang of sadness in his heart.

“This spell is really difficult and it’s very important you do everything right,” Orion’s voice was concerned. “Do you remember all the steps?”

Cassia nodded. “Yes. We’ve been practicing for _ages_.”

Regulus steeled himself. “We’re ready, Father,” he said.

Orion breathed in deeply. “Alright. Let’s cast the _Fidelius_ ,” he said. “I will talk you through it.”

 

Cassia’s eyelids were dropping by the time the spell was finished, designating her the Secret Keeper of her brother’s new home right by the sea. From her Father’s suddenly confused expression as he looked around, Cassia guessed it had worked.

She whispered him the address and her Father’s eyes cleared. He smiled at Regulus, suddenly visible to him, and tugged his daughter in a hug, feeling immensely proud.

“Alright, now it’s done,” said Orion. “You have to keep it a secret from everyone,” he reminded Cassia.

She looked at him solemnly. “I will, Father.”

And for one second Orion regretted making his daughter grow up so fast just like that. Her grey eyes were old and sad and he wished he hadn’t needed to make them that way.

But then she beamed and the childhood came back rushing to her face. “Can I see the house? Can I paint my room? Can I make it _lavender_?”

Regulus and Orion shared a look and they let out a small laugh, relieved.

“Of course you can,” Regulus told her. “You can help me paint your room if you want. And buy some things for the kitchen.”

Cassia laughed. “Like you know how to cook.”

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

“What’s an Horcrux?”

Regulus concentration faltered and the big pot he was floating in front of him dropped to the floor, spilling most of the stew. “W-where did you hear that?”

Cassia looked at her feet. “I heard you,” she confessed. “When you were talking with Father,” she looked up, curious. “What is it?”

Regulus sighed and with a wave of his wand made the ruined dinner disappear. “That’s not something you should know.”

“Come on!” Cassia huffed. “It’s not like I could tell anybody. Pleaaase? I just want to know,” she narrowed her eyes. “I can always ask Sirius…”

Regulus sat on the chair next to his sister. “Do not tell Sirius anything of what I’m about to tell you, alright?”

“I promise.”

Regulus regarded her for some seconds. “A Horcrux is dark magic, _very_ dark magic. When you kill somebody your soul breaks a little and you can get a part of your soul and put it inside an object,” he explained. “That way even if they kill you, you’ll still be alive –somewhat– and won’t really die.”

Cassia furrowed her brows. “But you have to _kill someone_?” she asked appalled.

Regulus was strangely relieved to see her so disgusted. “That’s why it’s dark magic,” he wasn’t going to enter in the logistics of the ritual that _really_ made the Horcruxes. “Do you know my friend I told you about some time ago? Well, he is a bad man, a really bad one. And he has killed lots of people.”

Cassia’s eyes widened. “So he has lots of Ho’cruxs?”

“He does. At first I thought it was only one, the one Kreacher and I got from the cove. The locket. But Father believes otherwise.”

She wrinkled her nose. “But you are going to get them all, right?” her eyes were hopeful. “And he will stop killing people.”

Regulus could tell her that it wasn’t that easy, that they didn’t know how many Horcruxes were out there, or even _what_ they were and that it was a really dangerous job with the Dark Lord and its followers lurking. But he didn’t want to see the admiration and hope fade from her eyes.

So he smiled instead. “Of course,” he said.

Cassia nodded and then looked at him thoughtfully. “What’s an orgasm?”

“Merlin’s balls!”  

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Cassia stabbed the notebook Miss Dahlia had bought her with the quill. A couple of the carefully written calculations she had to resolve got stained with ink and she groaned.

“What did that quill ever do to you?” Orion looked up from his own parchments with an amused smile.

They were both on the study, Walburga was out on the Diagon Alley, shopping, and Kreacher was on his weekly cleaning visit to Regulus cottage. And so Orion had told his daughter to do her homework with him and they both worked on silence.

“It’s not that,” Cassia looked at him. “It’s just that… today Mrs. Pyrites was trying to teach me a new dance. She said it was very easy but I… I didn’t get it and she said I was a stupid child.”

Orion’s eyes flashed. “She did?” he put the quill back on the inkwell. “What dance were you learning?”

“The waltz?” Cassia scrunched her nose. “She said it was really easy and I shouldn’t have so many problems.”

“Well, that’s probably because she didn’t know how to lead,” and his eyes were mischievous for a second. “Would you like me to teach you?”

Cassia’s eyes widened and she grinned at him. “If you don’t mind…”

Orion walked to the middle of the room and, with a wave of his wand he made the furniture move to the sides of the room. That left a big space to move around without crashing with something.

“First,” said Orion. “We need some music.”

There was an old gramophone in one of the corners of the room and it started to play a soft melody with violins and pianos and a whole orchestra when Orion pointed at it with his wand. Then he grinned at his daughter and extended his hands.

“You have to put your left hand on my shoulder and grab my left one with your right.”

Cassia obeyed but her left arm was too short. “I can’t reach your shoulder,” she huffed.

Orion looked at the frustrated eyes of his daughter and decided to forego all propriety and just have some fun instead. He remembered a ball years ago, when he saw Mr. Fawley dancing with one of his daughters. It had caused a lot of talks even in the following days, but he remembered the carefree laughs of the little girl.

“Stand on my toes,” he said.

Cassia blinked. “What?”

“Stand on my toes,” he repeated. “I’ll dance and you’ll dance with me.”

Cassia obeyed reluctantly but a small smile curved her lips when he started to move and she had to hold on tight. Her father saw it and then started to glide around the room energetically with the little girl clinging to him.

After a fast twirl Cassia started to laugh, which was what Orion had wanted since the beginning, and his heart soared.

“Mrs. Pyrites didn’t teach you like this, did she?”

Cassia giggled and hid her face on her father’s chest. “No!” her voice, muffled on his coat, shook with laughter.

“Good.”

 

“And spin!” Orion grabbed her daughter’s hand high and made her twirl several times.

Cassia’s giggles filled the room as both father and daughter moved gracefully through the room. Orion had started teaching the correct waltz but he couldn’t help but mess around a bit to make her laugh.

His sons, mostly Sirius, had to get their mischief from someone. And it certainly wasn’t Walburga.

Cassia saw her father frown and their dance stopped. “Father, what’s wrong?”

“Someone is here,” he said. “And it’s not your mother.”

Cassia’s face light up. “It’s Regulus?”

He shook his head. “I think it’s one of your cousins, but she doesn’t come alone.”

The little girl made a face. Bellatrix and Narcissa were far to grown up for her and they still treated her like she was _four_. So Cassia wasn’t very fond of them.

“What is she doing here? Doesn’t she know Mother is out?”

Orion’s face hardened. “I think that’s why she’s here,” he said darkly. “Quick, hide in the window!” he ordered.

Cassia blinked. “ _What_?”

Her father grabbed her shoulder and dragged her to the big bay window looking over the _muggle_ neighbourhood. He patted the window seat where Cassia usually liked to spend her time when she was in the study, and looked at her with urgency.

“Father, I don’t understand,” said Cassia.

“Just get inside,” he begged. “Please.”

Cassia obeyed, still rather loss, and dropped her head against the cool glass. She raised her knees to her chest and hugged them. “Father…”

But Orion had already untied the laces holding back the curtains and was already closing them.

“Father!”

“Cassiopeia,” Orion let go of the curtains and crouched so he was eye to eye with her. “I need you to stay really quiet, alright? And don’t come out, no matter what you might see and no matter what you hear. Can you promise me that?”

Cassia gulped. “Father…”

“Can you promise me that?” he asked once again, more urgently.

She nodded and he went back to closing the drapes, enclosing her inside. “Daddy,” her voice was small. “I’m afraid.”

His heart broke a little. “Everything is going to be alright, I promise,” he said. “They won’t touch you.”

And he tugged one last time, leaving her looking at the flowered shroud instead of him. Cassia hugged her knees closer and tried to listen to whatever that was going on outside. The curtain had left a small gap close to Cassia’s head from where she could peer out without being seen.

She could see her father sitting back on his chair and tidying the papers he had been working on before their impromptu dance session. Cassia could hear the knock on the door over the soft still playing music.

“Come in,” her father said.

It was Bellatrix, proud and tall, with two slender men guarding her back. Bellatrix’s eyes took in the room and a wide smile curved her lips.

“Uncle Orion!” she exclaimed happily. “It’s so good to see you are home.”

Orion’s face remained apathetic. “Bella,” he said. “What brings you, your husband and young Mr. Lestrange to my house?”

Bella waved him off airily. “Oh! We were in the neighbourhood and I thought I could teach Rod here my uncle’s home. Grimmauld Place is quite the magical property, you know? In the middle of a _muggle_ street but with no one to take notice of it.”

“Yes, I know,” he stated dryly amused.

Bella flushed. “Of course you know!” her fluster seemed fake. “Is Reggie here?” she asked. “Rab wanted to talk with him.”

“I’m afraid Regulus is no longer living with us,” he said. “He decided he was too old to keep living with his parents and got his own house. But if Mr. Lestrange tells me what he wants him for I can surely pass along the message.”

Rabastan Lestrange took in stride. “The Falmouth Falcons are playing against the Tornados this week and I have two tickets for the match. Regulus is a big Tornados fan and I wanted to ask him to come with me.”

To Cassia’s surprise, her father’s smile only tightened at the answer. “Oh, I will tell him when I see him. I’m sure he will want to go,” he stood up on this chair. “Now, why don’t you let me walk you to the door? Maybe I can even show you around some parts of the house.”

And then Bella’s façade dropped and she strutted to the big wooden desk, slamming her hands over it. “Let’s go to the point,” she said coolly. “Where’s Regulus? He hasn’t been showing up to our meetings in _two_ months! The Dark Lord doesn’t like to be abandoned. We’ve been searching for him but we can’t locate him and the Dark Lord believes he has cast a Fidelius Charm. And who but you would be the Secret Keeper? So. Where. Is. He?” she punctuated each word with a punch on the wood.

Orion just raised his brow. “And what makes you think I’m going to tell you?”

Bella’s eyes narrowed. “If you don’t tell me then I’m going to have to make you tell me,” she said with her eyes bright.

Cassia would remember the minutes that followed for the rest of her life. The duel was fast-paced and at first it seemed like her father would win with his dark curses, but they were three, younger and quicker than him. So in the end he fell.

His tortured screams rang in Cassia’s ears. She hid her face between her knees and put her arms around her head, covering her ears. She counted to ten and tried all the Occlumancy tricks her father had ever taught her to keep herself calm.

And then, after a long while, there was silence.

Cassia’s heart pounded on her head and she dared to peek again through the gap.

Her father was clutching the edge of his desk to keep standing. Blood trickled from numerous wounds on his face and under his robes but his gaze was still determined.

“I will not tell you where my son is,” Orion said. “And I won’t break. So you better be going.”

Rodolphus Lestrange huffed on the background. “This old man is useless, he won’t say anything,” carelessly he raised his wand. “ _Avada Kedavra_.”

There was a flash of green light and Cassia watched her father drop to the ground. His head was twisted to the side, looking in her direction, but she could see that his eyes were completely empty. She held back the scream rising in her throat but she couldn’t help the sniffles.

The curtain ripped open and Cassia was left staring at the dark eyes of a surprised Rabastan Lestrange.

“-dare you? He was a Black!” Bellatrix was berating her husband. “We weren’t supposed to kill him!”

“My, my, what do we have here?”

Cassia’s fingers dug into her own legs and silent tears ran down her cheeks. The Lestrange man eyed her somewhat impressed and then turned to call at his companions.

“Cassiopeia!” Bellatrix exclaimed surprised.

Rodolphus face was suspicious. “Do you think she knows anything?”

“She’s just a kid,” scoffed Rabastan.

Bellatrix crouched in front of the window seat. “Hey, Cassie. Do you know where your brother is?”

Cassia shook her head. She wasn’t going to tell those monsters the directions to her brother’s house so they could kill him, too.

“Are you sure?” pressed Rodolphus.

Rabastan snorted. “What? Do you think _she_ ’s the Secret Keeper? She’s just a child, that’s not possible. We’re wasting our time here. We don’t really know how this _Fidelius_ thing works, maybe _he_ was the Secret Keeper and the secret died with him,” he said. “We should report back to the Dark Lord.”

Bellatrix sighed. “You’re right,” she patted Cassia’s knees. “What you saw… keep it between us, alright?”

Cassia remained there, staring blankly at the body of her father, long after the visitors had gone. And then she felt a tight knot on her chest and a prickling behind her eyes and she knew she needed someone to hug.

So she ran downstairs and threw herself to the fireplace.

“The Reef!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Regulus is alive (YAAAAY). Orion is not, sadly. And quite traumatically for poor Cassia. Maybe I was a bit too hard on her.
> 
> Naaah.
> 
> Anyway, comment if you want to! I hope you liked it.
> 
> CF98


	3. Ding, Dong, The Dark Lord is dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couldn't help myself on the title, sorry. But it does say enough.

“What are you going to do now?”

Regulus looked up from the newspaper and blinked at his little sister. They were in the living room of his house, Regulus in the armchair and Cassia sprawled on the sofa. The book she was reading rested against her stomach as she eyed him with curiosity.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“The Dark Lord is gone,” said Cassia. “So we don’t have to hide here anymore, do we?”

Regulus folded the newspaper and sat up straight in the armchair. “I guess? The Dark Lord might be gone but most of his followers are still around.”

Since the death of their father Regulus had taken his sister into the protection of his house. He had offered the same deal to his mother, but she had refused to leave society. So they had cut themselves off from the world. Including their mother and Sirius, with whom Cassia had still been talking until then.

The two siblings had spent over two years in the house, almost never leaving. Regulus had taken up most of her education since they couldn’t tell Miss Dahlia and Mrs. Pyrites their new location.

“What are you reading now?” he asked trying to divert the conversation.

Cassia was the one in charge of sneaking into the nearest town, a _muggle_ one, and shop while Regulus had, at last, learnt how to cook. Most of Cassia’s new books, in fact, came from one of the _muggle_ bookshops. A fact that didn’t make Regulus very happy.

Cassia looked down at her book. “The Hobbit,” she said. “It’s an adventure and fantasy book. There’s dwarves and elves and a wizard,” she smiled. “It’s good.”

Regulus pressed his lips together. “It’s a _muggle_ one, isn’t it?”

Cassia nodded. “Sometimes _muggles_ make the best stories,” she said. “When are we going back home?” she added.

"You're not going to give this up, are you?" Regulus sighed.

"I just don't understand why we can't go back home," Cassia pouted. "I miss my bedroom. And Mother and Kreacher,"

Regulus couldn't explain his nine-year-old sister about how he was afraid of going back to that house. How he felt the guilt of their father's death would crush him if he even stepped a foot into the place. How he dreaded their mother's blaming stares and disappointed looks (it was ironic that Sirius had become the man their mother wanted while Regulus, who had been so close, now couldn't be further away).

"There's first a lot of things we have to do," he said. "A lot of people know that I'm a Death Eater and I have to clean my name. We have to add security to the house so nobody can get to us. I even have to get a job!"

Cassia huffed but kept her mouth shut. After a few moments of silence, when Regulus had already gone back to his newspaper, she spoke again.

"Can we get Miss Dahlia back?" she asked vulnerably. "I've missed her."

Regulus face dropped. "Of course we can!" he exclaimed softly. "I'm sure she has missed you too."

And Cassia's smile made going to that wretched place completely worth it.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Some days before her eleventh birthday a big owl landed in the middle of the kitchen table while she was having breakfast.

Mother was already out, doing who knows what at Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy's house. Regulus had only lasted a couple of days in the house before going back to the Reef. He was working as a journalist on the Daily Prophet (though he had plans of starting his own newspaper) and Cassia usually spent the weekends at his place.

Since she was alone she had decided to eat in the kitchen with Kreacher keeping her company. As she did each meal she was left alone.

"An owl!" exclaimed Cassia with excitement. "And here it says it for me!" She bit her lip and looked at the house elf with wide eyes. "Do you think it's my Hogwarts letter?"

Kreacher shrugged. "The Mistress will only know if she opens the letter."

Cassia tore the envelope and squealed when her eyes found the Hogwarts crest. "It is!" she beamed. "It is! It's my Hogwarts letter! I'm going to Hogwarts!" she danced around the room with the letter held up high.

“Congratulations, Little Mistress,” the elf told her sounding a little bit sad.

Cassia knelt on the floor to hug him. “Oh, I will miss you, too, Kreek. I almost don’t want to go, but Hogwarts…” her voice was yearning.

“What does the Mistress wants to do to celebrate this?”

Her eyes shone. “Can we go to the Alley?”

He hesitated. “The Mistress knows she can’t go to the Alley alone.”

“I won’t be alone, I’ll be with you.”

He grabbed his ears. “Master Regulus will be so angry if he finds out. And the Mistress… No, Kreacher cannot do this.”

“Come on, Kreek,” she pouted. “No one else is here and I need to celebrate now. I have all this happiness inside I feel like I’m going to burst if I don’t do something.”

The elf sighed in the defeat.

 

On the two years since He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’s defeat, the Magical World seemed to have crawled out of the shadows. Diagon Alley was cheery, with people happily looking through the shops and a feeling of calmness in the air.

“FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY YOU COME BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!”

Well, mostly.

Regulus didn’t let Cassia go to Diagon Alley all that much. It was like he wanted to protect her from the stares and mutters of the people. As if she didn’t already know.

Cassia knew her family has been on the losing side of the war. She knew they all thought _muggles_ were inferiors and they, purebloods, superiors. She even knew that her brother Sirius, who had been on the other side at first, turned cloak in the end and now was in Azkaban with their cousin.

Regulus always told her he believed Sirius had only joined Voldemort to protect the Potters, or maybe to even spy for the Order, but it had backfired terribly.

“He never believed in the pureblood superiority,” he had told her wrinkling his nose, as if believing him stupid for denying such an obvious thing. “And he loved James Potter like a, well, more than a brother. He would have never betrayed him.”

He still faced some prejudice. A couple of months after the war ended he went willingly to the Ministry and demanded a trial. “I became a Death Eater but I quit. They killed my father for it. I never killed anyone but still…I’m here to face the consequences of my actions.”

They sent him to Azkaban for two months (one for each year you’ve been on his service) and he came back pale, shaking, awfully thin and with emptiness on his eyes. It was only thanks to Cassia that he didn’t spiral into madness.

Cassia looked like a Black. With wavy black hair, grey eyes, high cheekbones and aristocratic face, she fit the part. She knew when people saw her they only thought « _Look! There goes the mass-murderer’s sister_ », « _Did you know her whole family has been in Azkaban?_ » or « _Who knows what kind of Dark Magic they’ve taught her?_ ». They didn’t see a girl, they saw a Black.

So that was why she wanted to sneak in, without anyone looking at her like she had murdered their family.

She turned to her elf. “Kreacher,” she said solemnly. “I order you to go back home and only come back when I call or if I’m in danger.”

Like she’d expected he opened his mouth to argue. “But Mistress-”

“Kreacher, go!”

Even if he despised it, no house elf can disobey the orders of his master. And so he disappeared with a loud crack, leaving the girl alone in the cold alley.

Cassia knew her way around Diagon Alley, it was easy. And her first stop? Gringotts. The goblins eyed her with scepticism but when she handed them her key it vanished.

Ten minutes later she was outside with her hair tussled and a bag of money on her hands. It was her first time in the Alley alone and she was scared but excited at the same time.

The January wind was cold so she burrowed her nose on her scarf and tugged her hat over her ears. Both navy blue and white, a gift from Miss Dahlia.

“You’re a Spurs fan now,” she had told her.

Where to go? The few times that Cassia had been in Diagon Alley had always been with Regulus or her mother and they always had a plan, knew where to go and in the right order.

Well, now it was _her_ turn to choose.

Since she had left mid-breakfast and was hungry again she decided to go to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour. She wanted some ice cream. Even if it was late January and freezing cold.

The man smirked at her. “Not really the time for ice creams, is it?”

Cassia just smiled at him. “It won’t make it any colder.”

Mr. Fortescue laughed. “Oh, at that you’re right. Should you be alone here?”

“My mother and my brother are working,” she shrugged. “And I’m old enough to look after myself.”

The ice cream vendor seemed to fight with himself for a moment. “Why don’t you come inside?” he said. “You will freeze out there.”

The inside of the shop was nice and comfortable. With pastel walls and pictures of landscapes, the soft smell of vanilla in the air. There was a red sofa and a coffee table. On the sofa a young girl was reading a heavy book.

“Hi, I’m Cassia.”

The girl looked up from her book. “Giorgia.”

“Your father let me in. Can I sit with you? What are you reading?”

Giorgia looked a bit taken aback by the other girl’s friendliness. “Um… it’s called _The Red Boat_.”

Seeing that the girl was answering Cassia took is as an invitation and sat on the armrest, leaning towards the girl. “What is it about?”

“Well, it’s about this group of kids who find an enchanted red boat and they start travelling around the world and having adventures and stuff. And there’s this evil guy who wants the boat for himself and keeps trying to steal it and they have to stop him all the time.”

She nodded with interest. “Whoa! It sounds pretty great. I’ll have to read it.”

“They have it on Flourish and Blotts so if you have money you can go,” Giorgia suggested.

Cassia grinned. “Great!” she said with such enthusiasm that Giorgia couldn’t help smiling back.

Mr. Fortescue appeared on the small hall with a hovering tray in front of him. The tray landed on the coffee table and Cassia saw that it carried two bowls of ice cream covered with chocolate.

“You look like a chocolate and strawberry kind of girl,” he explained as he gestured towards the bowl with the pink ice cream.

Her eyes widened with amazement. “How did you know?”

He tapped his nose. “It’s my job to know these things.”

The chocolate covering was hot against the cold ice cream. Cassia beamed at the first taste.

“Why don’t you join her on her shopping later, Gina?” asked Mr. Fortescue. “It would do you some good to get out the house.”

“Oh, I don’t know… I mean, she sure has already plans a-”

Cassia shook her head. “No, actually I don’t. It’s just… I got my Hogwarts letter this morning but there wasn’t anyone to celebrate with me at home. So I decided to come here. Come on! We can go to Flourish and Blotts and you can tell me about your favourite books!”

Seeing herself outnumbered the girl relented. “You’ll have to give me money, though,” she told her father.

Gina Fortescue was a tall girl for her age. With olive skin that looked almost yellowish from the lack of sun, dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. She walked fast and almost seemed to be in a bad mood. Cassia, though, had quickly learnt how to make her talk.

The girls chattered about books and spent hours at Flourish and Blotts, although in the end Cassia only bought two books and Gina one. Then they went at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch and they strolled through the Alley and the connecting ones (except for Knocturn Alley). When it was getting late, Cassia dragged her new friend to the pet shop to buy a cat.

“Owls are more useful,” Gina told her when she saw her making faces at the kittens.

“I want a pet, not a tool,” Cassia scowled.

Her brother burst into the shop with a fierce scowl and Kreacher by his side. Neither of them looked happy.

“Hi, Reg!”

His scowl deepened. “Cassiopiea Lucretia Black, what the hell were you thinking?”

Gina snorted. “Lucretia?”

“I know, I know,” she stuck out her tongue to her new friend. “Can you start the shouting once we get home?”

Regulus sighed but conceded eyeing Gina, the vendor and the people on the street. “Let’s go then.”

“Wait!” she turned back to Gina. “My birthday is this Saturday. I guess my mother will make me a party with family members and stuff but maybe later you can come?”

Gina smiled. “Yeah, sure. And you can come visit anytime.”

“Brilliant.”

Regulus tried not to look warmed by the scene. Cassia hadn’t had a lot of chances to interact with other kids her age, so it was nice to see her making friends again.

Still… “Can we go now?”

“Just a moment,” the girl rushed to the counter. “I want that one.”

 

“Of course you had to get the one that was missing a leg.”

Cassia hugged the cat close to her body. “Nobody was going to get him! And look at him! Look at this face!”

The cat was mostly grey and fluffy, the kind of cat you wanted to nuzzle all day long. His almond shaped eyes were a mix between yellow and green. His left hind leg was missing; he got ran by a car some months ago. It was young, not even two years old, and the lady of the shop had told her had made a nice recovery. She had even given her some advice to better take care of him.

“Mother won’t be happy that you’ve bought a cat,” said Regulus. And even less when she saw the cat hadn’t even a drop of kneazle blood and, on top of everything, was broken.

Cassia scratched the cat behind its ears. “I will keep him away from her and she won’t mind. Now I just have to think of a name. Umm…”

“You will clean the litter box on your own and without magic.”

She ignored him. “The lady said he came from Greece, so how about a Greek name?”

“You’re not going to call him Zeus.”

She beamed. “Helios! It’s the sun god.”

Her brother just sighed.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

The next few months things changed a bit around the house. Miss Dahlia and Ms. Pyrites only came in the mornings, leaving her afternoons off to goof around or go to Diagon Alley to hang out with Gina.

During her childhood Cassia had made some friends with the other pureblood children around her age that always ended up stuck with her on the parties and such. Then the war had worsened and the parties had stopped, and _then_ Cassia had gone into hiding with Reg for two years. By the time she’d gone back into society it was like she didn’t know those kids anymore and they all seemed so different from her… They didn’t have anything in common.

Still, Cassia tried to be friendly and keep the peace on those dinners. She hated every second of it, but she bore it with a smile. Luckily those events weren’t as common as they had been once upon a time.

Cassia read, played with Helios, wrote to Gina and obeyed her teachers. Miss Dahlia took her on excursions and she got to meet Tina Hopper, _the girlfriend_. They took her to a football match, Tottenham Hotspur versus Arsenal (5-0), to the movies, skating, bowling… Miss Dahlia bought her _muggle_ records when she learnt that nobody used her father’s old gramophone, and Tina took her to a U2 concert and promised many more afterwards.

Cassia liked Tina.

When summer came, Regulus took Cassia on a two week holiday to the south of France. She ended up sunburnt everywhere but had lots of fun. Regulus even made a lady friend on the trip and she got to tease him a lot afterwards.

During one of her numerous trips to Diagon Alley to see Gina she also bought some Potion’s ingredients, her school robes and her wand.

Mr. Ollivander had needed almost a full hour to find her perfect wand and, once he did, he kept looking at her strangely. “Pear and unicorn hair,” he muttered to himself. “I think this is the first time I’ve ever sold something like this to a Black,” and he stared at her as if expecting her to jump and announce that, actually, she was adopted.

She and Regulus shared a look. “Alright…” he cleared his throat. “Seven galleons, is it?”

The wandmaker snapped out of his trance. “Right, seven galleons, yes. I believe you will end up surprising the whole world, young lady.”

Cassia was very relieved to leave the shop. “Is he always like this?”

Her brother was frowning. “Yes, he’s always been a little… intense.”

And after that all there was left to do was wait. Wait until September 1st came around and she could finally go to Hogwarts. Reg couldn’t stop teasing her, saying that maybe he’d changed his mind and didn’t want to part with her so he’d ask Ms. Pyrites to keep coming.

He didn’t see the flying pillow until it was too late.

Even her mother seemed to be sad about Cassia leaving her for most of the year, but Cassia couldn’t be sure. She’d never been really close to her mother, always a Daddy’s girl, and when she and Reg had gone into hiding for two years it was like coming home back to a stranger. Not that her mother spent much time home afterwards.

But now at Hogwarts things would change and she couldn’t wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Sirius is in Azkaban and he will stay there, sorry. I hope Regulus’ theory about Sirius makes sense.
> 
> So, Hogwarts next!

**Author's Note:**

> Any thoughts?


End file.
